Annotated 'Ask the Editor'

Today's helpful suggestion for confused readers of the Stylebook's "Ask the Editor" feature:

Q. Should we refer to the government shutdown as a "partial" government shutdown? Are they interchangeable? Is "slim down" a biased word? – from San Diego on Mon, Oct 07, 2013
A. In AP stories, partial government shutdown in initial references, thereafter shutdown. The other term doesn't seem accurate for this standoff.

A: No. "Slim down" would be two biased words, except that nobody's using it for the nouns "slimdown," "SlimFast" or "Slimghazi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Those are interchangeable with "Kenyan death stare."